To print 30 nanometer (nm) or sub-30 nm images utilizing photolithography, the resist thickness may be in the range of 50 nm or less. This may be due to the image collapsing during the developing stage. With such a comparatively thin resist, a bilayer or trilayer approach may be utilized. In the trilayer approach, there may be a comparatively thick organic underlayer and a thin Si containing interlayer, where the Si containing layer may either be a chemical vapor deposited silicon oxide layer or a spin coated silsesquioxane polymer film. The resist may be imaged and developed with optical exposure, electron beam (E-beam) or extreme ultraviolet (EUV) first, where the image may be transferred to the interlayer. The interlayer may then act as an etch mask for the underlayer. Since the resist may be comparatively thin to obtain high resolution images, etching through the silicon oxide layer may present a difficult challenge. Therefore, there is a need to develop a photolithographic resist having high etch resistance towards the etchant (such as CF4) of an oxide reactive ion etching (RIE) process, such as a resist suitable for radiation or particle beam exposures.